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Taraskovyan National Defence Forces
The Taraskovyan National Defence Forces (Russian: Национальные Войска Обороны, Tarathian: Zethanath Kerekh, Polavian: Siły Zbrojne Imperiej Taraskovskiej – Силы Збройне Импер’е Тарасковск’е, Serbovian: Војска Тарасковије- Vojska Taraskovije, Sortvalian: Keisarin Sotavoimat, Utharian: Kaizerlike Kriegsmacht, Riikan: Ianays-karan Soramur, Quenya: Hosstirnore ) are the are the overall unified military forces of the Taraskovyan Empire. The TNDF traces its history tens of thousands of years back to the hosts of Lord Uidath of the Emerald Spire, who unified the disparate Tarathian tribes and city states and laid the foundations of what is now the Taraskovyan Empire. A curious detail is that due to tradition and history, each of Taraskovya’s many languages often has a distinct appellation for the armed forces, so as by convention, the abbreviation “NVO”, stemming from the Russian language appellation, is used by the entirety of the population to refer to the Empire’s military when addressing somebody hailing from a different linguistics group. History Structure The structure of the National Defence Forces is currently in a process of evolution to reflect the changes taking place in the military with the official formation of the Taraskovyan Empire. Currently, the military is administratively organized into several kinds of Forces, each specialized in a certain type of service. Units from the Forces are operationally regrouped into Theatres, then into commands and so on and so forth. Engagement Forces The Engagement Forces, or the UDAV (from Ударные Войска, Udarnie Voiska), are the professional career based part of the TNDF. The word "udav" stands for "boa" in Russian. Regrouping all kinds of arms, from space combat to ground assault, the units part of the Engagement Forces provide the force projection capacity for the TNDF and are expected to be employed in offensive operations against the enemy. With the recent military reform, the Engagement Forces are open to conscripts that are declared as able to serve for the Territorial Force and are ready to enlist for a full time contract. Foreign nationals are also allowed to serve with the TNDF. Territorial Forces The Territorial Forces (affectionately dubbed Terrorists by country-side residents because of their ability to terrorise lifestock during massive exercises) used to be volunteer based part time formations. With the promulgation of mandatory military service, each Taraskovyan citizen able of body and sane of mind (with exemptions for some kins due to historic, cultural and simply practical reasons) is obligated to serve a minimum of 300 days, spread over 10 years, with the Territorial Forces. Those kins exempt from conscript service are subject to slightly different military service modalities, which ensures that they also participate in the Imperial defence to the extent of their capacities. The Territorial Forces, thus, account for the overwhelming majority of TNDF personnel and constitutes the rapid-mobilisation pool of the national defence doctrine. Personnel keep part of their equipment and their service firearm at home, which allows for a rapid reaction in times of need. Quite logically, the Territorial Forces provide the main defensive capability of the Empire, and regroups everything from space faring to ground combat units. Security and Quarantine Forces The OKV (from Охранно-Карантинные Войска, Okhranno-Karantinnye Voiska) are formations between the military and the police. They are tasked with backing up regional police forces, as well as conduct anti-guerilla and other occupational duties in conquered territories, namely protecting supply lines and vital infrastructure. As such, the OKV train both security-specialised troops of regular combat units, as well as field its own set of Security Divisions, units specialized in activities described above. The OKV consists of professional full time units. Whilst having no general law enforcement mandate, OKV units may be bestowed with such a mandate by the Imperial Government on specific occasions. A common misconception is that the Security and Quarantine Forces are used as a tool of genocide by the Empire. This is not true. If a certain population annoys the Empire to the point that it needs to be pacified, fully mechanoid units are used instead. The option of simply bombing everything from orbit is also not excluded. The servicemen of the OKV, even if often showing no sign of compassion and using excessive brutality against civilian populations, do follow operational rules of minimizing casualties as much as possible and, as such, shall more often use non-lethal incapacitating means instead of lethal force. Special Operations Command The KSO (from Командование Специальных Операций, Komandovanie Spetsialnih Operatsi'i) is the most secretive and mysterious part of the Taraskovyan military. The KSO operations special forces units of the National Defence Forces, carries out all sorts of unconventional operations and is even rumoured to be responsible for a secretive Imperial "stay behind" organisation in case of an enemy invasion and occupation of Taraskovyan territory. Conscription Information day At 16 years of age, Taraskovyan citizens receive a letter detailing their military obligations. At 18 years of age, they are sent marching orders to present themselves at a nearby barracks for a day of information. They are given presentations explaining the various branches of service and prerequisites for certain positions. To avoid conflicting with studies or work, they are also asked to pick a time (typically corresponding to spring, summer and autumn periods) most convenient for recruitment and start of service. Typically, a conscript will attend recruitment at 19 years of age and begin service at 20, but may legally postpone recruitment until 23 years of age. Conscripts are also presented with the opportunity to enter professional service and are explained the modalities and procedures to follow. Generally, interested conscripts already sign a letter of intent to signify their interest in professional full time service. Recruitment Recruitment is a two to three day process, typically taking place three to six months before start of service, during which the conscript is given physical and psychological tests to assess his or her suitability for service. Conscripts are also given the opportunity to present medical certificates from private doctors detailing any physical or mental handicaps they may have. Conscientious objectors also meet with additional psychologists to explain their desire to abstain from regular army service and take part in civilian service instead. A person may either be found fully capable, in which case army service or civilian service follow, less than capable, in which case civilian protection follows, or incapable, in which case the person is exempted from service and is subject to a higher tax rate as opposed to servicemen. A person's starting function is also determined or narrowed down during recruitment. During the interview with the recruiting officer, which shall decide the starting function of the conscript, the latter is yet again briefly notified of the possibility to enter professional full time service. If the conscript has already signed a letter of intent, then he is simply reminded of its existence and quickly reminded the modalities to follow. If the conscript did not sign the letter, he is offered to do so. Army Service Boot camp lasts about 20 weeks, during which the initial seven weeks are the general basic instructions, which are generally the same for all Taraskovyan servicemen. At the end of the seven weeks, those conscripts that have signed a letter of intent to go all-professional career are transferred into the Engagement Forces. Transfer is not automatic, as service with the UDAV or the OKV requires an excellent physical and mental condition, with standards placed higher than those for conscript soldiers. Exemption by Kin Some of the kins inhabiting the Empire are exempted from standard conscript service and instead follow other service modalities. The nomadic Eduyab'Kerrudar provide desert specialised instructors and specialists. The felinoid Julaniem provide reconaissance forces. Other kins in the Empire are subject to other modalities. Professional Service Professional service is open to all conscripts that have finished their basic general instruction training. If judged worthy, conscripts are transferred under the authority of UDAV or OKV boot camps and continue their basic training there. Professional soldiers train longer than their conscript counterparts and obtain several specialisations, even if they often remain generally in the same function as if they had continued on with mandatory service. Foreigners in the TNDF Foreign nationals may volunteer for TNDF service. They are subject to an initial training period, during which they also receive crash courses in Russian, and then are sent off to boot camps. Until recently, there was no specialised unit for foreigners only, until the creation of the Hellenic Voltigeurs Division, reserved for foreign nationals of Greek origins. Recruitment policies It might seem as a paradox, but the TNDF is often accused by the conservative political leadership of being way too liberal in its recruitment policies. Indeed, as long as a volunteer is judged fit for service, ready to abide by strict discipline and motivated enough to take the lives of Taraskovya’s enemies, he is enrolled. Homosexuals, religious minorities, people of all sorts of weird hobbies can join the ranks. At any rate, they shall not have much time to do anything outside the bonds of military discipline as the TNDF likes to keep its servicemen occupied at all times, night and day. And those who cannot keep up with the tasks and the discipline are shown to the door. It is not clear what the policies towards slacking conscripts shall be, now that the military reform has introduced military service. But one can be sure that the drill sergeants shall find lots of entertaining ways to keep their soldiers up and running. Civil Protection The Civil Protection is the primary Imperial organism tasked with emergency relief, rescue and other activities aimed at protecting the civilian population in the event of war or natural or technological disaster. The Civil Protection is organised along military lines, and cooperates with other purely civilian agencies tasked with protecting the population (local rescue agencies, medical services, etc). The Civil Protection is not, per se, part of the National Defence Forces and does not answer to the Defence Ministry. However, it has been directly influenced by the recent introduction of mandatory military service as the Taraskovyan legislators and leaders wanted to augment the Civil Protection's capacities with conscripts judged unfit for regular army service. Fully professional until now, the Civil Protection is currently adopting to the new realities and namely elaborating a clear doctrine of employing the part time conscripts assigned to its ranks. National Defence Forces